Personalities

[Potatoman]

Where do our personalities come from? How are they defined? If 2 twins grow up together, same school, same circle of friends but they end up fundamentally different people. How is this?

[Ammy]

 

Part 1

In the world of psychology it is basically considered that personality is formed as a result of nature AND nuture. So its about how you are bought up by your parents and other relations/ friends. The environment plays a major part, ie the various experiences that you go through shape you. Plus biology plays a major part- people have different hormone levels for instance.

 

Your example of two twins with same friends and same school, doesn't mean much when it comes to personality. For example, twin A could be taken to the shops by their mum without twin B; sees a robbery taking place and be really scared by it, instilling in them a fear of crime. Obviously as twin B was not there they would not have the same experience. Twin B as a baby might have had a heart defect and therefore has had a lot of medical treatment and special care for the first four years of life. This may lead to that child being used to having attention and maybe being a bit spolit. In turn this might make twin A quite jealous (obviously these are quite extreme examples to make my point). Think about it, everyday you do/experience something different, whether it be watching a television programme, hearing thunder, getting sent a card, doing a school project, getting flu, eating pasta, feeling bored. These are all little silly things, but everything adds up. We ALL go through different things so no one is the same.

[Ammy]

Part 2

 

People think differently, therefore they have different views of events. A personality cannot be defined, it is a range of different concepts. You cannot simply be called a quiet person. This means nothing. How quiet are you? Are you loud when with certain people? Does it depend on the time of day? Maybe you are a 3 on a 0-10 scale of 'quietness'. Mixed in with your quietness could be a pinch of arrogance, a dash of selfishness, a whirl of creativeness.
 
The question of personality has brought about many theories, that can't really stand up on their own, and really must be linked with others.

 

Put simply there is no single answer to your question. We are born with a certain amount of 'personality', but we are also developed and added to over time.

[Potatoman]

Thanks for the answer, very good. I know its unfeasable, but it does make you wonder IF under scientific monitoring, if 2 people were to be given the exact experiences, if they would be the same. Interesting idea.